Pantene introduces sustainable packaging for Nature Fusion products

CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble’s Pantene hair care brand has started producing its new shampoo and conditioner bottles made primarily from plant-based plastic.

This material — a first for the hair care industry — is made from sugar cane and will be featured on the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion collection. The new bottles initially will be launching in Western Europe with expansion plans to the rest of the world over the next two years.

The packaging contains plastic derived from sugar cane, a natural and renewable resource, as opposed to traditional plastic, which is made from petroleum, a nonrenewable material. Sugar cane-derived plastic consumes more than 70% less fossil fuels and releases more than 170% less greenhouse gases per ton than traditional petroleum-based plastic.

The new Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion sugar cane-based packaging will become available across several Western European markets and retailers over the summer and autumn. This will be a seamless transition for consumers as the formulas will remain unchanged. Also, the new bottle has virtually identical characteristics to its predecessor and is as recyclable as before. The Nature Fusion collection was launched in 2009 and is sold in all major markets globally.

"The use of sugar cane-based plastic in our Nature Fusion packaging allows us to offer the same performance consumers expect from Pantene but in a more sustainable way," stated Hanneke Faber, P&G's VP and brand franchise leader for Global Pantene. "We're thrilled to be the first hair care brand to use this technology on its packaging, but we also recognize sustainability is a journey and we're fully committed to it. Our goal is to punctuate this journey with meaningful innovations that make our communities more healthy and beautiful, and we hope others will follow."

By using renewable resources, such as sugar cane-based plastic, Pantene is supporting P&G's goal of replacing 25% of petroleum-based materials with sustainably sourced renewable materials by 2020. P&G's long-term vision is to use 100% renewable or recycled materials on all of its products.